Pumpkin Candy: Sugar

Sugar, often called sucrose, is a common carbohydrate found naturally in many plants. It is primarily extracted and refined from sugar cane or sugar beets. The refining process involves crushing the plants, extracting their juice, and then purifying and crystallizing the sugar.

Manufacturers add sugar mainly to provide a sweet taste to foods and beverages. It also helps with texture, browning, and can act as a preservative in certain products. You'll find it in a wide variety of items like baked goods, candies, soft drinks, and processed snacks.

In the United States, sugar (sucrose) is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. While sugar provides energy, the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no specific amount of added sugars and suggest limiting them to at most 10 grams per meal. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises keeping intake of free sugars below 10% of total daily energy. Both JECFA and EFSA have evaluated sugars in the context of dietary intake.